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June 23, 1964 .1. R. GUILD 3,138,145

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Nov. 9, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q6(INVENTOR.

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June 23, 1964 J. R. GUILD 3,138,145

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Nov. 9, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5E; 76 /0|l h, 35 f; 50 A !!I!!- i Q!!! a a m 3/ 7f 3 9 33 J7 0 IN VENTOR UnitedStates Patent 3,138,145 ENTERNAL CQWUSTEQN ENGHNE .Fohnithanli. Guiid,at sea Seamens Union, Rincon Annex Post (Mice, San Francisco, (Ialif)Filed Nov. 9, 15362, Ser. No. 236,654-

Claims. (Ci. 123-51) My present invention relates to internal combustionengines and more particularly to the construction and arrangement ofparts in a so-callcd cam type engine with opposed pistons.

The engine to which the present invention relates consists of acylindrical bank of combustion cylinders with opposed reciprocatingpistons, in combination with a shaft mounted rotary drum having opposedcam surfaces mounted in relation to the engine cylinders to presentsuitably inclined faces thereon that are operated upon by the opposedreciprocating pistons to translate the reciprocating movement of thepistons into a rotary movement of the rotary drum and its supportingshaft. This type of engine has certain advantages in the number ofoperating parts, more power to weight, and compactness in size, etc.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an internal combustionengine having opposed pistons operating in a plurality ofcircumferentially disposed cylinders of the diesel type with pistoncontrolled scavenging ports and operating through lever means on acentrally disposed shaft supported drum having opposing camming surfacesby which longitudinal forces produced by said pistons are converted intorotary motion of the supporting shaft.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an engine of theabove character which may be quickly and readily taken apart orassembled and in which the repair and overhauling cost is greatlyreduced over that encountered in engines now available.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drum type cam enginehaving a novel and improved arrangement in a cylindrical bank ofcombustion cylinders disposed parallel with the drive shaft and havingan improved drive connection between the drive shaft and pistonoperating in said cylinders. I

Still another object of .the invention is to provide a cam type internalcombustion engine wherein the number and mass of parts characteristic ofthis type of engine are further reduced and the construction generallyimproved and strengthened to provide a smoother running and a moreefiicieut engine.

A still further and more general object of the invention is to providean opposed piston, cam type engine ofthe character above described thatis simple in construction and highly efficient in operation and which isso designed and constructed as to expedite and render moreconvenient'the assembly and disassembly of the parts for the purposes ofinspection and servicing.

The invention possesses other objects and features ofadvantages, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be evident to those skilled in the artand in part set forth in the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification.

In the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout theseveral views:

FIGURE l is'a sectionalview of a preferred embodiment of my inventiontaken along the'angular section in dicating line 1-1 of FIGURE 2 andlooking in direction of arrows,

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the device as shown in FIGURE 1 with theprotective end shields removed,

FIGURE 3 is a schematic diagram for illustrating the relative operatingpositions of the pistons during the course of a single revolution,

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectionalized View taken along line 4-4 ofFIGURE 5, and

FIGURE 5 is a similar fragmentary side view ofthe details shown inFIGURE 4.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings for a more detaileddescription of the invention, where in FIGURES l and 2, my proposedengine comprises an ports 19 and 20 are so located adjacent the ends ofthe combustion chambers" 14 that they will be exposed whenthe'pistons'15 and 16 are in their outermost positions and closed whenthe pistons 15 andl are in their innermost positions. Thepurpose of themanifold 17 is to conduct air under pressure to the combustion chamber14 for scavenging purposes which exhausts through the manifold 18 whenthe valve ports 19 and 20 are exposed as illustrated in the upperchamber of FIGURE 1. The compressed airenters at the port 1% and isdischarging through the port 20 and into themanifold 18.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the compressed air is con ducted to the manifold17 through a supply pipe 21 and the scavengingair and exhaust isconducted from the manifold 18 through a conduit 22. At this point itwill be noted that the cylinder block 10 has cored out water circulatingcavities 23 that operate in the conventional manner to preventoverheating. In this showing the cooling water is introduced throughpipe 37 and is discharged through a pipe 38. Centrally of the combustionchamber 14 there is a fuel injection valve 24 that operates in timedrelation with the movements of the pistons 15 and 16 to inject dieselfuel into the chamber 14 in accordance with standard practice for dieselengines.

The shaft 13 is supported centrally for rotation within the cylindricalopening 11 of the cylinder block 10 by spider-like brackets 25 which arebolted or otherwise secured to opposite ends of the cylinder block andcarry bearings 26 through which the shaft 13 extends. The spider-likebrackets 25 have circumferentially spaced openings in alignment with thecombustion chambers 14 of the cylinder block 10 with spaced cars 27between slidable cam engaging members 31) by means of links 31. As willbe hereinafter pointed out in more detail the cam engaging members 34are slidably mounted in T-slots 32 that form circumferentially spaced'guideways in parallel alignment with each of the combustion chambers14. With this arrangement it will be readily seen that as the pistons 15and 16 reciprocate in the'combustionchambers 14, the rocker arms 28 willimpart a comparable reciprocating movement to the cam engaging members'30. The rotatable cam 12 is of cylindrical form with its ends ofcircular wave-like configuration. In this showing the cam 12 has fournodes at each end that are defined by a con tinuous inwardly extendinglip 33 which as will be hereinafter pointed out, forms a drawingconnection with the cam engaging members .36? which move withv anopposed 3,138,145 Patented June 23, 1964 i their horizontalcross-section and at their upper ends each have oppositely extending keyportions 34 that are slidably mounted in grooves 35 along each side ofthe guideways 32 referred to above as formed in the engine cylinderblock 10. At their lower ends and substantially in alignment with thelinks 31, by which motion is imparted thereto, these cam engagingmembers 30 have a recess 36 into which the ilps 33 at each end of thecam 12 extend and in this manner there is formed a driving connection orinterlock between the cam engaging members 30 and the cam 12.

For a description of the mode of operation, reference is now made toFIGURE 3 of the drawing, wherein the circumference of the rotatable cam12 is shown as spread out or developed to indicate the relativepositions of the opposed nodes of the cam track, as provided by the lips33, with respect to the operating positions of the several pistons. Inthis showing the cam 12 would appear to be on dead center but the timingof the firings in the combustion chamber 14 will be such that thedriving force exerted by the pistons 15 and 16 will occur slightly overor beyond dead center. In this manner the power stroke of the drivingpistons will be on an inclined side of the node that will produce thedesired direction of rotation. As the alternate driving pistons 15 and16 thus operate to rotate the cam 12 the intermediate or alternatepistons 15 and 16 will move in a reverse direction to compress air for asubsequent firing. In addition to timing the firings in the combustionchambers 14, which firings will occur when the opposed pistons 15 and 16are in their innermost position as shown in the lower part of FIGURE 1.Then following the power stroke thus produced, the alternate pistons 15and 16 will open the ports 19 and 20 as they reach the outer ends oftheir stroke with the result that compressed air will be introduced fromthe manifold 17 scavenge the combustion chamber 14 and the burned gasseswill be exhausted into the manifold 18. T o complete the assembly themotor is shown as provided with end shields 39 that encompass andenclose the open end of the cylinders 14 and the rocker arms 28 toprovide against the admission of foreign matter into the engine when inoperation.

While an eight-cylinder engine has been shown and described, it will beunderstood that any desired number of cylinders may be employed. It willalso be understood that the form of invention selected for illustrationand description is to be considered a preferred form and that theinvention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is- I. In an opposed piston and cam type internalcombustion engine operating on the diesel principle, the combination ofan annular cylinder block having a plurality of open ended combustionchambers spaced circumferentially about its central axis, a shaftsupporting spider at each end of said cylinder block having bearings fora centrally located shaft, pistons operating in opposed relation in eachof said open ended combustion chambers, rocker arms pivotally mountedupon each of said shaft supporting spiders, piston rods extending fromeach of said pistons to one end of each of said rocker arms, saidcylinder block also having guideways extending in inwardly spacedparallel relation with the axis of each of said open ended combustionchambers, cam engaging means having a lip accommodating recess slidablymounted in each of said guideways, connecting links between each of saidcam engaging means connected to the other end of said rocker arms,whereby said cam engaging means will be moved along said guideways inopposed reciprocating relationship as said pistons reciprocate withinsaid combustion chambers, a cam supporting shaft mounted for rotation inthe bearings carried by said shaft supporting spiders, and a singlecylindrical cam carried by said shaft having equally spaced oppositelyextending nodes at its ends, characterized by the fact that said nodeshave an inwardly projecting lip extending along each end of said camwhich extends into the lip accommodating recesses of said cam engagingmeans, whereby upon alternate firings the pistons in the successivecircumferentially spaced combustion chambers will be positivelyconnected to said cam as they reciprocate to impart rotary movement tosaid shaft.

, 2. In an opposed piston and cam type internal combustion engineoperating on the diesel principle, the combination of an annularcylinder block having eight open ended combustion chambers spacedcircumferentially about its central axis, a shaft supporting spider ateach end of said cylinder block having bearings for a centrally locatedshaft, pistons operating in opposed relation in each of said open endedcombustion chambers, rocker arms pivotally mounted upon each of saidshaft supporting spiders, piston rods extending from each of saidpistons to the outer end of said rocker arms, said cylinder block alsohaving T-slots forming guideways extending in spaced parallel relationwith the axis of each of said open ended combustion chambers, camengaging means having a lip accommodating recess slidably mounted ineach of said T-slots, connecting links between each of said cam engagingmeans connected to the inner ends of said rocker arms, whereby saidengaging means will be moved along said T-slots in opposed reciprocatingrelationship as said pistons reciprocate within said combustionchambers, a cam supporting shaft mounted for rotation in the bearingscarried by said spiders, and a cylindrical cam carried by said shafthaving four equally spaced oppositely extending nodes at its ends,characterized by the fact that the nodes of said cam are formed withinwardly extending lips along each end of said cam which extend into thelip accommodating recesses of said cam engaging means, whereby uponalternate firings in the successive circumferentially spaced combustionchambers the pistons will be connected in push-pull relationship withsaid cam as they operate to impart rotary movement to said shaft.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 1, characterized by the fact thatthe number of nodes in the wave-like cam surface formed by extendinglips is equal to one-half the number of combustion chambers arrangedtherearound, whereby successive firings in alternate combustion chambersof the engine block will simultaneously exert a driving force atcorrespondingly different radial points upon the cam supporting shaft.

4. The invention as set forth in claim 1, characterized by the fact thatthe nodes in the wave-like cam surface formed by the extending lips areequally spaced about the perimeter of the cam and are arranged tocoincide with the alternate pistons, whereby a driving force will besimultaneously exerted at different equally spaced radial points aboutthe axis of rotation of the shaft.

5. The invention as set forth in claim 1, characterized by the fact thatthe cam-like surface formed by the extending lips carried on the camextend from both ends thereof in axial alignment, whereby driving forcesexerted thereupon by operation of the opposed pistons will be applied inopposite directions and of equal magnitude, whereby axial thrust uponthe cam supporting shaft is avoided.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,767,589 Redrup et a1 Oct. 23, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 264,893 GreatBritain Ian. 26, 1927 305,387 Great Britain Feb. 7, 1929

1. IN AN OPPOSED PISTON AND CAM TYPE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINEOPERATING ON THE DIESEL PRINCIPLE, THE COMBINATION OF AN ANNULARCYLINDER BLOCK HAVING A PLURALITY OF OPEN ENDED COMBUSTION CHAMBERSSPACED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY ABOUT ITS CENTRAL AXIS, A SHAFT SUPPORTINGSPIDER AT EACH END OF SAID CYLINDER BLOCK HAVING BEARINGS FOR ACENTRALLY LOCATED SHAFT, PISTONS OPERATING IN OPPOSED RELATION IN EACHOF SAID OPEN ENDED COMBUSTION CHAMBERS, ROCKER ARMS PIVOTALLY MOUNTEDUPON EACH OF SAID SHAFT SUPPORTING SPIDERS, PISTON RODS EXTENDING FROMEACH OF SAID PISTONS TO ONE END OF EACH OF SAID ROCKER ARMS, SAIDCYLINDER BLOCK ALSO HAVING GUIDEWAYS EXTENDING IN INWARDLY SPACEDPARALLEL RELATION WITH THE AXIS OF EACH OF SAID OPEN ENDED COMBUSTIONCHAMBERS, CAM ENGAGING MEANS HAVING A LIP ACCOMMODATING RECESS SLIDABLYMOUNTED IN EACH OF SAID GUIDEWAYS, CONNECTING LINKS BETWEEN EACH OF SAIDCAM ENGAGING MEANS CONNECTED TO THE OTHER END OF SAID ROCKER ARMS,WHEREBY SAID CAM ENGAGING MEANS WILL BE MOVED ALONG SAID GUIDEWAYS INOPPOSED RECIPROCATING RELATIONSHIP AS SAID PISTONS RECIPROCATE WITHINSAID COMBUSTION CHAMBERS, A CAM SUPPORTING SHAFT MOUNTED FOR ROTATION INTHE BEARINGS CARRIED BY SAID SHAFT SUPPORTING SPIDERS, AND A SINGLECYLINDRICAL CAM CARRIED BY SAID SHAFT HAVING EQUALLY SPACED OPPOSITELYEXTENDING NODES AT ITS ENDS, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT SAID NODESHAVE AN INWARDLY PROJECTING LIP EXTENDING ALONG EACH END OF SAID CAMWHICH EXTENDS INTO THE LIP ACCOMMODATING RECESSES OF SAID CAM ENGAGINGMEANS, WHEREBY UPON ALTERNATE FIRINGS THE PISTONS IN THE SUCCESSIVECIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED COMBUSTION CHAMBERS WILL BE POSITIVELYCONNECTED TO SAID CAM AS THEY RECIPROCATE TO IMPART ROTARY MOVEMENT TOSAID SHAFT.